Center Eric Wood is out two to four weeks with a torn ACL, a major blow to the Bills offensive line. (US Presswire)

Buffalo Bills offensive line coach Joe D’Alessandris has received high praise for his work over the years with Buffalo’s big men up front.

Now may be one of his biggest challenges yet.

The Bills enter the season’s home stretch with a reshuffled offensive line due to injuries. C Eric Wood is out 2-4 weeks with a partially torn MCL (and could miss the rest of the season), and RT Chris Hairston was placed on IR Thursday due to an ankle injury. The loss of Wood, Buffalo’s leader of the offensive line, is a major blow in particular. In their place will be RT Sam Young and interior lineman David Snow.

It’s not the first time the Bills have had to deal with major injuries during D’Alessandris’ tenure in Buffalo, but that doesn’t make the task any easier.

“For whatever reason the last two years, it’s something we’ve had to deal with on more than one occasion, just plugging new guys in,” QB Ryan Fitzpatrick said. “We’ll see on Sunday. I know that they’re willing to do it, but we’ll see if they’ll be able to go out there and do it.”

After starting a school-record 50 consecutive games at Notre Dame, Young has waited a long time for his first NFL start. He was a sixth-round pick of the Dallas Cowboys in 2010 and joined the Bills early last season off waivers. He entered the year as the team’s fourth OT but has been pressed into action due to injuries to Hairston and Erik Pears, the team’s opening day starter.

“It gets frustrating going from college and then you become a kind of reserve player,” Young said. “But I have really taken the time and used it to take the opportunity to continue to better myself. ... It’s very exciting. It’s an opportunity and it’s my job to not only be the next guy in but kind of showcase my talents and be able to help the team.”

It remains to be seen exactly where Snow, an undrafted free agent out of Texas, will line up on Sunday. Originally, the plan was for RG Kraig Urbik to slide over to center and have Snow replace Urbik at RG. But both have seen practice time at center, and coach Chan Gailey said he would wait until later in the week to make a decision.

No matter how the starting lineup looks, the Bills have quite the challenge on Sunday. The St. Louis Rams are tied for fourth in the league in sacks with 34 and have two top pass rushers in Chris Long (seven sacks) and Robert Quinn (8.5 sacks).

“They do a great job of rushing the passer and Long will be a challenge over there for Sam,” Gailey said. “This might be overall as athletic a defensive front and a powerful combined with quickness defensive front as we’ve played all season. You look at all the guys they rotate through there, they’re playing extremely well right now. It’ll be a challenge for he and David.”

For more updates on the Bills, follow correspondent Mark Ludwiczak on Twitter @CBSBills and @MarkLud12.